Staff familiarity beneficial

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IRVING, Texas - Maybe the names of Kansas State players will be taped in different places when football camp opens this fall.

As much as Bill Snyder and his staff have seen the Wildcats, both during spring drills and on tape, some familiarity will take time.

Snyder certainly knows his assistants, however. Just one, offensive line coach Charlie Dickey, did not either play or coach at K-State. Dickey came from Utah with the first offensive coordinator hired by Snyder, though Andy Ludwig was then lured by Cal.

By aligning himself with former assistants, Snyder drew criticism for building a staff with many of the same coaches who were on board when the Cats went 9-13 the last two seasons of his previous stint.

Tapping coaches, however, who were familiar with both K-State and Snyder's system was important.

"To have a staff that has a good understanding of what the expectations are, what the program is all about, really has been very beneficial to me," Snyder said Wednesday at Big 12 Media Days.

Virtually every day, something is mentioned that prompts Snyder to pause at what he calls an "ah-ha moment" and reflect for just an instant.

"Something that reminds me of the way we've done it in the past and what might be the right way," he said. "Our coaches are also able to project certain things that will happen, should happen, and how we deal with them in a matter that is very helpful to me."

Health intact

Asked if there was any "danger you're going to kill yourself" attempting to lead a football resurgence at Kansas State in his second stint as coach, Snyder laughed before replying, "I hope you said that in jest."

Age is an issue considering the veteran coach is 69 and will turn 70 on Oct. 4, the day after K-State opens Big 12 play against Iowa State in Arrowhead Stadium.

"I don't think there's a great deal of danger," Snyder said. "My doctor says things are on go, says I'm doing OK. You know, it's a demanding thing no matter how you look at it. It is for every coach regardless of what their age happens to be."

Not a polling place

Although he served on a panel for The Sporting News in its Legends Poll, a group of retired coaches who rank teams, Snyder does not welcome the task as an active coach. It was a stance he maintained throughout his first tenure and it again appears he will decline any request to vote in the ESPN/USA Today poll.

"I lasted about one month and I sent my resignation in," Snyder said of his only previous involvement in the coaches rankings.

As a member of the Legends Poll, the balloting was not as rushed and as a retired coach Snyder had time to make proper evaluations.

"They would send out DVDs of all the games for you to look at and that was great," he said. "If you had time to do it, then that was why it was great. But coaches who are coaching don't have that kind of time."

Recruiting differences

The rush to get prospects to commit was a tactic Snyder avoided throughout his first tenure as K-State's coach. Now, he recognizes the necessity to tender offers earlier. Although Rivals.com lists just eight known commitments for the Wildcats, Snyder stretched that mark considerably on Wednesday, though it's unknown how many greyshirts fit into the equation.

"I was telling somebody the other day we have maybe 100 -- I don't know what the number is -- 130 offers extended," he said. "We've got 15 to 17 commitments. I've never been in that position in my life. It's a little frightening in that respect."

Stringer misses out

Snyder allowed his captains to comprise the travel party to Big 12 Media Days, bringing quarterback Carson Coffman, tight end Jeron Mastrud and linebacker Alex Hrebec. The conference asks for three players to attend, so Kansas State elected to leave its other captain, Topekan Nick Stringer, at home. Stringer is a senior offensive tackle.

"I think they did scissors, rock and paper to determine which of the three of the four were coming," Snyder said. "(Stringer) was there in my first life at Kansas State University. (He) didn't make the trip, but certainly he is equally deserving."